Film first for Lancashire

By Fiona Finch

A new initiative to develop Lancashire’s film industries is being launched in Preston tonight.

Creative Lancashire, in association with local arts organisation They Eat Culture, is hosting a “Making Films in Lancashire” event at The Continental in Preston from 6pm.

Ruth Heritage Creative Director of They Eat Culture

It will focus on independent filmmaking in the North West and includes a special screening of Birkenhead-set drama ‘The Violators’, followed by a live Question and answer session with the film’s writer and director Helen Walsh, producer David Hughes and lead actress Brogan Ellis.

The Screen Opps event also marks the return of special show and tell sessions, where people with work in production can receive feedback from a test audience, as well as industry professionals.

Ed Matthews-Gentle from Creative Lancashire said: “This event is a fantastic way for people to have conversations with industry practitioners, find out about opportunities in the industry, gain vital insight and make contact with influential screen practitioners.”

He added: “Screen Opps will also be creating a report looking at the current state of the industry. We really need input from industry professionals, to feed in their comments about what is needed to help develop more opportunities in Lancashire.”

Ruth Heritage, creative director of They Eat Culture, said: “We think it’s vital to Lancashire’s growing creative and cultural economy that there are opportunities within the screen industries, for those just entering or those already working in the industry. Lancashire has so much to offer as a location for filming, from the beautiful coastline, the villages and fells, to the towns and cities that make up the county, all deserving to profile the county on screen.

“Equally, we want to make sure the county thrives as a place to have a career in screen industries.”

Admission is free and places for tonight’s event can be booked at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/screen-opps-relaunch-making-films-in-lancashire-tickets-27890541360.